Crossblood
by StarraMoonstone
Summary: What seems an innocent enough afternoon with a few friends hanging out slowly begins to morph into a blood war that will wreck Skai's life as she knows it.
1. Prolouge

Prologue

Skai Moonstone was a simple girl that lived in a small town in Maine. She was pretty, smart, and had the best friends a person could ask for. In fact she had many friends because she was very sweet, but Matt and Jason were her two best friends. She's met them when she was very small and they'd been close ever since.

The two boys were brothers. Jason was the eldest, 16 next month. You would be able to tell from the start he is a born leader, being brave, strong, and smart. He was just as much of a big brother to Skai as he was to Jason.

Matt was the second oldest of the three of them. He was exactly a month older that Skai. Like his brother he was a born leader, with one heck of an imagination. He could imagine something with such vivid detail that Skai could draw it out. The three teenagers were a very close knit group.


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:** So basically me and my friend wrote this into a composition book a year ago. It's a little late hitting fan fiction because it already has it's sequal: Abomination; and the third and final installment is in the works now, expected to be completed before may. When either story will even begin to touch Fan fiction, I haven't the slighest clue. I could also just leave it off here if you all so choose it.

* * *

Chapter 1

"Hey who wants to play triple dare?" Jason asked to break the silence hanging over Skai's yard where the three of them were relaxing one Saturday afternoon.

Skai looked up at the boy she considered her older brother, interested. "What is it?"

"Kind of like truth or dare and Fear Factor together," Matt answered while glaring at his brother. "And we shouldn't play it's really dangerou-"

"I'm in," Skai said before he could finish.

Defeated, Matt slumped onto his back.

Jason smiled smugly and turned once more to Skai. "Truth or dare?"

"Dare of course," Skai said.

"Okay, now I'll give you a dare. If you don't like it just dare me back with something worse and if I don't like that then I'll triple dare you with something twice as bad. Understand?"

Skai nodded as Jason began to think.

"I dare you to jump off the trampoline while spinning."

Matt sat up and stared at Skai waiting for her answer. Skai looked at the trampoline and bit her lip in thought.

"No way! I'll hurt myself!"

Jason smirked. In an unnaturally calm voice he said "Then double dare me."

Skai stared at him and thought. Finally she matched his gaze with her own. "I double dare you to take three spoonfuls of my mother's broccoli beef casserole."

Jason's eyes widened, and Matt's mouth dropped.

Matt started to laugh. "That was cruel."

Jason's eyes opened wider. "You mean that green muck with the beef in it?"

Skai nodded solemnly.

Matt fell over, clutching his sides from laughing. "That stuff is gross!" he gasped between chuckles.

"You know I don't eat meat!" Jason protested.

Skai just smiled innocently at hi as if she'd forgotten the fact.

Matt sat up from his laughing fit, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Are you going to do it or not big bro?"

"I'm no chicken! I'll do it!"

Matt broke into another fit of laughter as Skai led Jason inside to get the leftover casserole.

Five minutes later they emerged from the house. Jason looked a little green.

"Alright my turn. Truth or dare Matt?" Skai asked.

"I'm not that stupid. Truth!"

"Is it true you sleep with a night light?" Skai leaned into his face.

Matt avoided her gaze by looking down and mumbled very quietly, "Yes."

Whether it be because they were all good friends or they simply didn't find it funny,Skai didn't laugh and of course Jason already knew since the boys shared a room.

"Okay my turn. Skai, truth or dare?" Matt asked.

"Dare."

"Dare you not to double dare me."

Skai stared at him and then said, "Dare you not to triple dare me."

Matt grinned. "I triple dare you to go into the forbidden woods tonight AFTER dark."

She grinned slyly, unable to resist such a challenge.

"Deal."

Jason's eyes opened wide. "Hello? There's a reason that it's called the forbidden woods, perhaps because it's _forbidden_? The last people who went in there were found dead!"

"D-dead?" Skai stuttered, starting to regret her decision.

"Aw, don't tell me you're gonna chicken out," Matt whined at her.

"Of course not!" Skai said defiantly. "I'm not afraid of anything! Meet you at the edge of the woods in say, an hour?"

Matt grinned. "Sure."

* * *


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Half an hour later once Matt and Jason had left Skai's house Jason pinned his younger brother against a wall.

"What are you thinking? Are you mad? Telling her to go into the woods at night! I thought we were supposed to protect her! Not kill her!"

"Dude calm down. I'll be there to protect her. Nothing, I repeat, nothing is going to get at her, okay?"

"You don't get it, do you? One of the bodies found in there was one of us! Dead! I don't know what's in that forest but it's too much for either of us to handle!"

Matt became quiet, his skin paling. He had always been very proud of what he was, knowing little stood in his way. Now that he knew that one of his own kind had been brutally murdered by whatever lived in that wood made him sick. And the thought that he had practically offered his best friend to it made him dizzy.

"Nothing will harm her," he said finally.

"Matt you can't expect to fight and win every time!"

"I'd sooner die than let anything touch her," he said softly.

They both fell silent, Jason staring down at his brother, Matt avoiding his gaze. Finally Jason took his hand off Matt's shoulder.

"Be careful little bro," he said solemnly, turning away.

"What? You're not coming with us?"

Jason spoke without turning around. "If I go with you who's gonna save your butt when you need help?"

Matt grinned as Jason walked away.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Skai walked slowly up to the edge of the wood. The sky was a deep pink from the last rays of the setting sun. She looked at her watch. Nine o'clock PM exactly. In a few minutes it would be dark. But where was Matt?

She looked around. He was nowhere in sight. She looked at the tall trees in front of her. The sky was fading quickly to a deep blue. Skai took a deep breath and walked into the dark mass of trees.

A few yards in and she already felt like her familiar world was miles away, like she was in the middle of an endless forest.

The further she moved on the more the silence pressed upon her ears. Which brought her to the realization that, there was nothing there. Somehow that only terrified her more. There were no chirping insects, no nocturnal animals. Nothing. It was silent. Dead silent.

Without thinking she kept walking. She could hear her heart beat ringing through her ears. There was uneasiness in her stomach. Something in her mind was screaming at her to turn back but she couldn't say no. Her feet kept moving of what seemed to be their own accord.

There was a rustle in the branches overhead. She stopped, her head jolted up. Though it was dark she could've sworn she saw a rather large bird sitting on the branch above her. Shaking off the fear that prickled on the back of her neck, she pressed on.

Though there was no sound Skai has the odd feeling that she was being watched. A crack behind her made her freeze in her tracks. Slowly she turned, hoping to see Jason. But nothing was there. She mustered up all her courage and called.

"Matt?"

No answer. She called again.

"Matt? Are you there?"

Something moved behind her. She spun around. Someone, or perhaps some_thing_, was watching her. Piercing green eyes were watching her. She went to scream, but her throat would make no sound.

The eyes came closer to her, ever closer. Once they were out of the brush she thought she saw the faint outline of a……person.

Somehow her legs, once frozen to the ground, found enough strength in them to run. Before she knew it she was frantically running through the woods. She tripped over a root, and fell to the ground with a thud, her heart pounding through her chest as she tried to get up. She couldn't. In the fall she had sprained her ankle. She couldn't move.

They rounded on her. She couldn't breathe. They rolled her onto her back, the blazing green eyes met hers again, entrancing her. Swallowing her like a sea of emerald. She didn't blink, her pulse quickened. She felt her own eyelids grow heavy.

"Skai!"

Matt's voice rang like a church bell through the woods, slightly bringing her out of her trance. She looked around for him, but her vision was blurry.

Whatever it was that had been following her was now fighting with Matt. She heard a cat hiss, then a thud as he fell. Her eyes fell closed.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Skai awoke the next morning. She felt oddly drained of energy. Her vision was slightly blurred but she could see Jason sitting on the edge of her bed as if were visiting her in the hospital.

"You alright?" he asked gently. She nodded. "Good. It looked like you had some dream."

Skai's mind flashed to the woods. Had it really been a dream? No, it had been a nightmare. She tried her best to remember what happened but it was all a blur. A very frightening blur.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice sounding as weak as she felt.

"You must have been having a nightmare. I don't know."

"No. Last night. In the woods. What happened? I remember walking up to the woods, then… nothing."

Jason looked surprised. "You mean you don't remember?"

Skai shook her head.

"Well I don't know. I wasn't there. Matt came back later saying you'd chickened out though."

Was that what happened? Had she simply chickened out? She couldn't remember anything, so she'd have to believe him. Her head throbbed.

Sensing the pain she was feeling, Jason said "Rest. You need it."

Skai didn't have the strength to argue. Instead she laid her head back down on her pillow. Under Jason's protective gaze she fell asleep.

Jason watched her as she slept. Her head was gently pushed into the pillow, her eyes were delicately closed and her hair lay over her shoulders as if she'd just brushed it. _"Matt came back a later saying you'd chickened out,"_ Why did he have to lie to her? She didn't deserve it at all. So why was he doing it?

He was doing as told, keeping her from getting "too involved". He wanted so badly to tell her the truth, to wake her and tell her everything. Everything. Tell her the truth about what happened. Tell her the secret of why it happened. _But no_, he thought. _That pretty little head is dreaming peacefully. It needn't be tainted by the horrors of the truth._ He gave her one last look then left her to sleep.

Once he was out of her house, he looked up. The sky was a dark blue brilliantly decorated with shining stars that seemed to sparkle like glitter. There was no moon. Last night was either full moon or new moon. He hoped it was a new moon.

Skai awoke the next morning. Jason had left. Her room was quiet and still. Morning sunshine shone through the window. She glanced at her clock; 8:30 AM. She laid back. This was the first time she was up before ten. No one was awake and it was Sunday. She had nowhere to go, and no one to see. For a second time she fell asleep.

When she next woke Matt was sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, a hint of worry in his voice.

Skai sat up; a little more awake that when she'd woken before. "What are you doing here?" she asked, glancing at the clock. Ten thirty was brightly lit.

"Are you okay?" he repeated.

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, trying to wake up fully. Matt sighed in relief. "Why wouldn't I be okay Matt?"

He stopped for a second, as if he was trying to find what to say next.

"You went out cold last night. I had to carry you back. You had me worried," he said quietly. Matt had a soft look on his face like he wasn't really paying attention, but lost in thought somewhere else. "Jason said you were just tired and the woods had given you a fright."

"Jase'?" Skai looked up at him questioningly. "He was there?"

Matt looked into her emerald green eyes. How could he lie to her, when she looked so curious? So innocent? There must have been a way to avoid lying without actually telling her the truth. His mind flashed over what had happened the night before. Finally it came to him.

"Yes. He helped carry you back here. You fainted in the woods."

It wasn't the whole truth but it wasn't lying either. Jason had helped him carry her back to her house. She had fainted in the woods. He was tap dancing on the border between the truth and a lie. Sooner or later he was going to have to pick a side. He would either have to obey orders and lie to his best friend, or disobey and tell her the truth. The whole truth.

"I fainted?" she asked sounding very surprised with herself. Matt felt queasy. She didn't believe him. "Was I really that scared?"

A wave of relief washed over him. But quickly, it faded. She's asked him something. Something there was no middle for. It came down to a lie or the truth.

"Must've been," He said forcing a smile. _I'm sorry_, he thought. _I'm sorry for lying to you. But I'm only doing it to keep you safe. Sorry Skai._

Skai must have believed the pained smile on his face and the lie he'd told her, for she smiled gently and said;" Thank you for helping me then."

The sweetness in her voice pained him. He didn't deserve it. He'd kept a huge secret from her and now he was lying to her. He deserved to be shunned by her, to have that gentle voice never speak to him again. To have the green eyes glaring at him in hatred. Her voice, her smile, her kindness, he didn't deserve any of it. Fighting back a pulse of anger at himself her replied with the same pained smile.

"What are friends for?"

"You know, just saving each other's lives and stuff," she laughed.

"Heh, yeah," he replied nervously. "Well I should go. I just came over to check on you."

The cheery expression on her face faded. "So….you're leaving? You just came to check up on me?"

Matt knew where this was going. Skai often thought that they treated her like a baby, that they didn't think she could defend herself.

"No. I also haven't been feeling well. So I'm gonna head home before it gets too bad." He was hoping it was enough to keep her from exploding. It wasn't.

"So you're sick. And you still came to check on me? Do you think I can't take care of myself?" She snapped her temper rising.

_Maybe I can still cover myself_, he thought.

"I was just worried about you," he said in the calmest, sweetest, voice he could manage.

"Well you shouldn't! I'm a big girl! I can take care of myself!" She snapped at him, she pushed Matt out of her room. Once he was out she slammed the door in his face.

"C'mon Skai! I didn't mean it that way!" he pleaded. "I'm sorry!" He grinned at himself then turned to leave. _You're mad at me for the wrong reason Skai.....but you don't know that do you?_


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Skai sat on her bed fuming. _He treats me like a child! I'm 14! I think I can take care of myself!_ She threw one of her pillows at the door. She picked up another and plowed her face into it, and fell back onto her bed.

She lay on her bed absorbing what had happened. After a few minutes she felt terrible for yelling at him like she had. She realized that he was just worried, and he didn't want anything to happen to her.

Skai felt a new found affection for him. He'd help her last night when she'd fainted in the woods. He'd protected her, he'd checked on her when he wasn't feeling well just to make sure she was okay. And she'd yelled at him for treating her like a child. Skai felt absolutely terrible.

"I'm sorry Matt," she said aloud.

_He didn't deserve that_, she thought. _To be honest he deserved a hug and a humongous thank you. Ugh how could I be so stupid?_ She pulled the pillow off her face and glanced at the clock. Eleven fifteen. _Not even noon and I've already screwed up. Way to go Skai._ She sighed heavily then got up and got dressed.

Pulling on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans she wondered why he wasn't feeling well. She decided to go over and find out, and apologize to him.

"Well well it lives," her mother said jokingly as she tramped down the stairs.

"Hey Mum. I'm going over to Matt's," she said heading for the door.

"Matt's? But he was just here an hour ago."

"Yeah I know. But I want to check on him. He wasn't feeling well," she said pulling her jacket on.

"Okay then. Be home for dinner!" her mother called as Skai shut the door behind her.

Jason and Matt lived a few blocks away. It would take a half hour to get there.

The Skai was a dismal gray as Skai mounted her bike. Thunder threatened rain from above. If she was going to get there before it rained she'd have to hurry. Peddling as fast as she could she set off down the street.

About fifteen minutes down the road, it began to pour. Skai peddled faster and pulled her hood up. In another fifteen minutes she was peddling into the driveway of the Damiens. Setting her bike in the open garage she walked up to the front door.

Skai knocked twice. A cheery black haired woman answered the door.

"Skai? Is that you? What are you doing here? You're soaked!"

"Hello Mrs. Damien," Skai said tucking her wet brown hair behind her ears. "I heard the boys were sick and I came over to cheer them up."

"I'm sorry but they're sleeping. Please come in though." She stepped aside to let Skai through.

"Thank you." Skai stepped lightly over the threshold into the house.

"Did you walk all the way here in that pouring rain?"

"No," Skai said. "I biked here."

"Biked?" Mrs. Damien repeated. Skai nodded. "Well you must be freezing! Would you like some hot chocolate?"

She nodded politely. "Yes please. Thank you."

Mrs. Damien hurried into the kitchen. Skai walked into the living room and watched the rain pour down. Her dripped onto her shoulders. She then took her jacket off and tied it around her waist. Her shirt was damp but for the most part dry. The warm air felt good on her cold arms.

Minutes later Mrs. Damien returned with a large cup of hot chocolate.

"Here sweetie. This'll warm you up," she said handing Skai the mug.

"Thank you," Skai said taking a sip. Mrs. Damien sat on one end of the old beaten couch.

"Here sit down," she gestured.

"Are you sure? I'll get it wet," Skai said looking up from her hot cocoa. Her mother always made her change or sit on the floor when her clothes were wet.

"Sure. It's just furniture. It'll dry."

Skai sat down gingerly, delicately as if Mrs. Damien was going to yell at her any moment.

"So you came to cheer up the boys?" She asked. Skai nodded as she continued. "Well as I said before they're sleeping. If you want to you can go up and see them. They have a rather strange illness!"

Skai had always liked Mrs. Damien she was always so nice, and rarely was she in a bad mood. She was pretty too, the whole family must've been because neither Matt nor Jason bore that much of a resemblance to their mother. Both boys had brown hair and striking blue eyes. Their mother had black hair and brown eyes. The only resemblance she had to her boys was the tanned skin tone, that looked like they just got back from the beach.

"Uh…..no thanks…. But what do you mean?" she asked.

"Well both of them are very weak. The poor things can barely speak. Also they've become pale. Jason was as white as a sheet this morning. Also their eyes are black. It's odd. They almost look like the living dead." She said with a laugh.

Skai tried her best to picture that. Her two best friends lying in bed, white as ghosts with black around each of their eyes. Mrs. Damien was right. They did look like the living dead. She snorted into her chocolate at the thought of the pair of them walking around like zombies. She thought a minute more…..

"You know…on second thought she said finally; "I think I would like to go up and see them."

"Alright then," Mrs. Damien replied. Finish your chocolate and you can go up. You know where their room is right?" Skai nodded. "Good. Well then I'm sorry Skai but I have to finish something for a meeting I have. I'll be right down the hall if you need me". And with that she left the room.

Once Skai finished her chocolate she headed up the stairs. Then she stopped in front of the second door down. This was their room. The most wanted sign their mother had made of the two of them was tacked to the front. Along with the signatures of every person who had ever been in the room (including theirs and her own signature over a hundred times). But something felt odd. Like this was their room, but they weren't home and she was going to ransack their space. She turned the knob slowly, carefully.

The boy's room was the same shade of green it had been the last time she was there. Sports posters were all over the walls, along with pictures of the three of them. Some were just Matt and Skai, or Jason and Skai, or some were just Skai. But a flattering realization came to her as she looked around. Ever single picture had her in it. She smiled and blushed, then turned her attention to why she was here. Jason and Matt.

The sight she was in front of her was more horrifying than humorous like she had imagined. The two boys were in their beds sleeping. Their skin was more than pale now. It was almost translucent. Their eyes had black not like someone had punched them in both eyes as she had thought. Instead it looked like someone had taken some black paint to both their eyes. _They do look like the living dead_, Skai thought. If it weren't for the steady breathing she may have thought they were dead.

Skai sat beside Matt and took his limp hand in hers. It was like ice but she didn't let go. She watched him rest, almost counting the breaths he took in and out.

"I'm so sorry," she said to the resting figure beside her. "I never should have yelled at you like that. You didn't deserve it. I'm so sorry Matt."

She stood up and kissed his ice cold forehead and whispered again, "I'm so sorry."

Skai turned to leave. Her hand was on the doorknob when she heard something call her name.

"Skai….."

Slowly she turned around. The voice had come from Jason. His eyes were open as she walked across the room to him.

"Skai….." It sounded like it pained him to speak. "What….are you doing here?"

She didn't reply. She could clearly see it did pain him to speak. But that was it. His voice. If she ever liked him as more than a friend or a brother then there were two strong reasons. His eyes that matched the endless blue sky and his voice that was always soft and strong like a baby tiger. Even when he was being serious he still had a faint joking tone to his voice.

But now…now his voice was cold and weak. Like a dying old man. The sound left her breathless. She never imagined that a voice so rich, so strong, could ever sound so frail and weak.

"Jason…" she said sitting on the edge of his bead. "I just wanted to check on you guys. Matt said he wasn't feeling well and-"

Jason took her hand. Like Matt he was cold as ice. A smile stretched across his pale face.

"Since when do you protect us? We're supposed to protect you," his voice sounded stronger but also like he was fighting back the pain it took him to speak.

"Oh Jason," she smiled playfully. "I'll take care of you how I can," she promised.

"No Skai," he argued. "You must take care of yourself. We'll be fine. But you have to be careful. Okay?"

"No. I'm taking care of you two whether you like it or not," she smiled while being forceful.

"Fine," Jason said not having the strength to argue. "But you still have to be careful."

"Got it. Be as reckless as possible," she teased. Jason smiled. "I'll be fine now rest," she added, this time more seriously.

"No. Promise me, Skai. Promise me you'll be careful."

"I promise. Now rest."

Jason did not argue anymore. He laid his head back on his pillow and closed his eyes. Skai stood up and kissed his forehead just as she had done with Matt's. With that, she left the room.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Once Skai was home after the rain stopped (Since Mrs. Damien wouldn't let her leave until it did.) she noticed the ski darkening as she walked up the stone steps to her house.

She'd made it just in time for dinner. But when she got to the dining room she was surprised to see someone else in her seat.

"Skai honey there you are. Skai this is Eric. Eric this is my daughter Skai."

Skai stared at Eric. He had spiked, jet black hair, and was white as marble. His bright green eyes glowed against the ivory background of his skin. _He's very good looking_

"Ah Skai. Your mother has been talking about you."

"Ski, Skai sit," her mother ushered her to the only empty seat. Right beside Eric.

Skai sat, taking her eyes off him for the first time since she saw him. Eric looked her age, sounded her age, but something about him made him seem much older than 14.

"I just moved to the neighborhood. My father isn't feeling well, so he told me to introduce myself without him." His voice was quiet but seemed to run together like running water.

Skai was avoiding looking at him, afraid she'd end up staring again. No one said anything for a while, and Skai was grateful. She picked at the dinner in front of her.

"So how are the boys?" her mother finally asked.

"The boys? Oh, Matt and Jason. They…they're fine."

"What are they sick with?"

"I…don't really know," she replied. "They're both pale, and really weak. It sounded like it pained Jason to talk. Also they have black completely around their eyes. They almost look….dead." Right when Skai finished describing the strange disease Eric started choking on his Pepsi. He pounded his chest to get the soda out of his throat. "Are you all right?" Skai asked him as he breathed heavily.

"Yes, I just….I've heard of that before. And surprised me a bit to hear about it."

"Oh. Where did you hear about it?" Skai's mother asked.

"Just an old book," he replied, giving a sideways glance at Skai. "Anyway thank you for the wonderful dinner Mrs. Moonstone. I hope I will be invited again." Before anyone could stop him, he left.

"Mom, I'm telling you there's something really strange about him." Skai said later while her mother was doing dishes.

"Skai Marie Moonstone. I can't believe you. Judging someone before you even know them." Her mother looked appalled.

"Mom I'm serious! I mean have you ever seen someone whose eyes all but glowed? And that smirk of his…"

"Eyes? Smile? Skai if I didn't know any better I'd say you had a touch of a crush on him."

"I don't have a crush on him! I just think he's weird!!"

"Well…regardless you're going to need someone to hang out with since both of the Damiens are sick. And since you're _such_ a nice girl I know you'll do your best to welcome him right?" Her mother raised an eyebrow.

Skai sighed, defeated. "Yes mother I will." Now she knew she would if she didn't she'd feel like a terrible person.

"Good girl. Now get to bed." Her mother kissed Skai's forehead. Skai left the kitchen and went up to her room. She changed into her pajamas and jumped into bed. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes and turned out the light.

Later on that night as Skai slept peacefully, someone was watching her.

_Pretty girl..._he thought. _Pretty brown hair, and those green eyes._ Despite the night quiet he could hear her heartbeat ringing through his ears. Almost taunting him. But he wouldn't touch her. Never would he touch her. "She's the one." His voice was like running water. "That's why I can't touch her," he said solemnly to himself. "But no matter what she is, she will me mine." He jumped down from his perch, the tree beside her room. _See you at school tomorrow little Skai. I'll be waiting._


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Skai woke up the next day to her blaring alarm clock. She sat up and yawned, then looked around. Her room seemed different. The sun was rising outside but her room still seemed dark, like it was entirely engulfed in shadow. The strange darkness of her room scared her. But at the same time it welcomed her, like some kind of frightening monster who would hug her instead of hurt her.

Then her room went black. Even as she squinted she couldn't see anything. Just pitch black nothingness. Her bed faded away beneath her, leaving her standing in the void. Then she saw it. Eyes, piercing, glimmering, green eyes, staring right at her. No, _through_ her. They were beautifully terrible. Something inside her told her to go nearer. She followed the instinct, one step at a time until she was right in front of them. There was now a light coming from somewhere. A few seconds later she realized that it was coming from her. With the soft glow she was emanating, she could see who the eyes belonged to. Eric.

She wasn't afraid at all, more entranced. There was a gentleness in his eyes as he mouthed something. She didn't know what he said but she felt like she did. She nodded slowly. His eyes faded to a fiery red color as his mouth opened. Music began ringing through her ears.

The next thing she knew she was sitting upright in her bed, breathing hard. Her alarm clock was blaring the radio. It was playing one of her favorite songs but she ignored it.

_That dream…_she thought. _Why was Eric in it? And his eyes…so luring…then that red color…almost like blood…_

In her mind she went over the dream again. To her horror she realized that she had woken up this time the same way she had in her dream. She took a quick look around, and sighed in relief, for her room was shaded in a pinkish-gold tinge from the rising sun.

_Just a dream…_she told herself until she had convinced herself that it was true.

By the time she was ready to go in the morning, she had to go outside to wait for the bus. Once upon a time she was the only person at her stop. Now it was her and Eric.

He stood there absently with a black bookbag slung over one shoulder. He paid no attention to her as she approached.

Skai got as close as was comfortable and never took her eyes off him. Eric stayed in the shade of an old tree in someone's yard. She wanted to say something to him but found no words.

"Sleep well?" he asked without looking up.

"Er…." She wasn't sure how to answer. The dream ran through her mind again. "I guess so," she finally said.

"Have any interesting dreams?" he asked, meeting her eyes this time.

_Sure. I had a dream about you_, she thought dully.

"Yes…" she decided to tell the truth. They both fell silent, not saying a word for a few minutes. Skai broke that silence.

"How'd you sleep?" she asked. He was quiet for a while.

"I slept…well." His voice was as smooth as velvet. "You look very nice this morning."

Skai was taken aback by this. She blushed slightly, not sure what to say or do. She mumbled a quiet thanks, forgetting that she was wearing her favorite pair of worn in jeans and a T-shirt.

Eric turned back to the road. It was still early and the bus wouldn't be there for a few more minutes. Skai shuffled nervously. She wanted to say something, anything. Just to talk to him. She had no idea why, but something was almost pulling at her to talk to him.

"Er…you're name's Eric right?" she asked. He looked at her, his bright green eyes cutting right through her.

"Yes," he said. His voice made her lightheaded. "You're Skai correct?"

She almost let out a flirtatious giggle. Instead she held it back and smiled.

"Uh-huh. Skai Moonstone at your service." She did an odd little bow. He laughed richly.

"Eric Vandon at your service," he said, copying her bow. Skai laughed. Eric just smiled.

The bus pulled up in front of them. Skai sat with one of the few female friends she had, Lily.

Lily was a bouncy blonde haired girl, who's tight curls went everywhere but where she wanted them to go. Skai hung out with her a lot. Lily always had something to say and was a bit boy crazy.

"Oooh, who's that?" she asked intently.

"Oh, that's Eric," Skai said as he took an empty seat at the front of the bus. "He just moved here."

"He's a hottie," Lily said, eyeing the back of his head.

"Oh come on Lil'. He's been here a few days and already you're tripping all over him," Skai replied looking disdainfully at her friend. _How pathetic_, she thought.

"Uh-huh. Like you aren't either. Speaking of tripping over people where are Jason and Matt?"

"Sick. With one of the strangest diseases I've ever seen. They seriously look like the living dead." Skai replied not wanting to ask how that connected with tripping over people.

Lily looked confused. "What do you mean?" she asked. "They can't honestly look like the living dead….can they?"

Skai explained the strange illness. She explained how odd and weird they looked. She even told Lily about the chat with Jason. She decided against telling her about the argument with Matt though. Lily sometimes got jealous that Jason and Matt were so protective of her. "You have two hott guys body guarding you. You are so lucky!" she would always say. _Cha, right_, Skai thought.

"That's really weird," Lily said when Skai was through. "They were weak?"

"Like a marshmallow to a torch."

"And pale?"

"White as ghosts."

"And they were cold?"

"Like two huge ice cubes."

"Wow…I hope I don't get it," Lily said with a shudder, turning her gaze back to Eric. "Where's he from anyway?"

"Who? Matt and Jason? Jersey…I think."

"No! Eric."

"Oh…" Skai replied. "I don't know. I never asked. He is cool though, right?"

"No. He's so far from cool. He's HOT!" Lily said again, forcing Skai to roll her eyes.

At school Skai couldn't help but keep an eye on Eric. He had been put in her homeroom and two of her classes; science and history. Not particularly her best subjects to start with, but since Eric was in them they just got harder. She found it very hard to concentrate with Eric in front of her in Science.

By the time lunch came around she agreed with Lily. He wasn't just cool he was HOT! _Maybe if I start failing history or science he could tutor me…_Skai laughed aloud at her own thought, causing some people to turn around and stare.

She knew she wasn't the only one watching Eric. Everyone seemed to be in a buzz about the new kid. From what she heard he was getting a reputation similar to hers. Guys wanted to be him and girls wanted to date him. The difference was that instead of being loved and envied for being sweet, he was being loved and envied for being "cool". People said that he proved the teacher wrong in English without batting an eye, and he never said anything when the teacher threatened detention for another outburst.

In one day Eric Vandon had the whole school talking. He had gone from a quiet new kid to a quiet new kid that ruled half the school. Despite all the rumors going around about him, not one mentioned where he had come from. That was the one that Skai wanted to know the most.

Lunch was almost over. Skai watched the clock as the seconds ticked by. _Move faster!_ She thought. Next she had 6th period history, her second class with Eric. When the bell finally rang Skai was out the door faster than anyone else. She dropped her books in her seat. As the class filed in, she kept an eye out for Eric.

"Hey Skai," came Eric's smooth silky voice as he sat down behind her. She smiled to herself. _Yes! He's here!_

A few seconds later, their teacher, Mr. Barnes, walked in.

"Alright now. Welcome to history!" he said cheerily. "Who here thinks we're going to be studying World history this semester?"

About two-thirds of the class raised their hands, including Skai.

"Well, all 20 of you with you hands up….are wrong."

The hands dropped. A few people looked confused. Others looked satisfied.

"For the next half of the semester we will be talking about American history." The class groaned. Eric, however, perked up in his seat. "Any one want to guess where we're going to start?"

Eric raised his hand.

"Yes?"

"The thirteen colonies. Because that's where America started."

"Well done! Oh, yes, you're our new student. Eric Vandon. Well good job Eric and welcome."

Eric lazed back into his chair like a prince on a throne. Girls stared dreamily at him and boys watched him with pure envying hatred.

"Does anyone know any of the original 13 colonies?"

Eric's hand shot up again.

"Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Delaware, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Connecticut, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Georgia, North Carolina, and Rhode Island."

"Well done! All 13! My goodness I've never had a student name all 13 at one time! Excellent Eric!"

At the end of class Mr. Barnes yelled "No homework!" as the kids packed up their things and started towards 7th period. Skai's final class was English.

Eric met her outside the classroom, to walk her to her next class is what he told her. Walking through the halls felt odd with Eric. She was used to people staring as she went through the halls. But now the boys were looking right past her with disgust. Girls ignored her with envy. Every boy wanted a chance with Skai and every girl wanted a chance with Eric.

"Are they together?" one girl whispered.

"It figures. Skai gets all the hot ones," another said bitterly.

Skai almost felt like turning her walk into a strut as if she was showing Eric off. She held back and smiled. Despite the looks they both were getting Skai was the only one who took notice. Eric looked straight ahead. Almost not realizing anyone else was there.

They stopped outside her English class.

"There you go Madame Skai. Seventh period English," he said.

"Thank you," Skai replied shyly. "I guess I'll see you later then…" she said, heading into the classroom.

"Yes," he replied smoothly. "See you later."

7th period was like every other class. Skai stared out the window daydreaming and ignored everything her teacher said. It crossed her mind a few times how she'd completely fallen for someone she just met. And every time the answer came to "There's just something about him." _He's gotten the whole school talking in just one day…but he doesn't say a word to anyone but me…_She pondered his mysterious quietness until the bell rang.

Almost immediately after she was at her locker, shoving books into her bag. After she was finished she waited a minute or two for Lily. When her friend never showed up she continued down the hall to her bus.

Quickly she scanned the seats on the bus. Lily wasn't on.

"She went home sick." Eric's voice made her jump.

"Huh?"

"That girl you were looking for. She went home sick earlier," he said watching the crowd of people outside the window.

"Lily? How'd you-"

"She was in my class when she came in and said she was going home," Eric explained.

"Oh." Skai could think of nothing more to say.

"May I sit?" he asked, snapping Skai out of her thoughts.

"Oh…er….sure."

She moved over to the window to make room. He sat. Skai tried her hardest not to stare but she couldn't help herself. He was very handsome. The black hair, pale skin, and those green eyes!! The eyes…she'd seen them before. Where? How? She didn't know and didn't care. She just stared, drinking him in. _He's so beautiful…_she thought. Almost sensing her eyes he looked over at her, forcing her to turn away and blush crimson.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

"Huh? Oh, nothing," she tried to act nonchalant, looking at him with her brown hair over her flaming cheeks.

"You were staring," he said calmly. It seemed like he didn't know anyone else was there with them on the bus.

"No I wasn't!" she argued indignantly.

"I know you're lying."

Skai turned away again, embarrassed. _You idiot_, she thought. _That's it make him think you're a freak._

When the bus stopped Skai whispered a quiet goodbye to Eric, then headed down the sidewalk. She remembered Jason and Matt, then realized that she hadn't thought of them at all except when she had told Lily about them that morning. For a second she felt ashamed then decided to call them when she got home.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Skai dropped her bag by the door, and leapt onto the couch, scooping up the phone in the process. As she dialed the number she crossed her fingers, hoping that one of them would answer.

"Please answer, please answer, please answer!" she whispered. Two rings. _C'mon._ Three rings. Finally someone answered.

"Hello?" she recognized the voice immediately.

"Jason!" she exclaimed.

"Skai!" he mocked her tone. "You say that like you didn't expect me to answer." Jason sounded stronger and the baby tiger touch to his voice was back.

"Actually…I didn't," she admitted sheepishly. "I expected your mum to answer."

"Mum brought Dad's old phone up here. It's easier for everyone that way," he explained. "Anyway to what do I owe the pleasure of this wonderful conversation?"

"Oh, just checking up on you…making sure you're alright," she replied, knowing the thought of her taking care of him would drive him nuts. "And I wanted to tell you about the new kid," she added casually.

"New kid?" he asked, amused. "Who in their right mind moved to a flyspeck town in a state where it's freezing year round?"

"Maybe he's not in his right mind," Skai suggested teasingly. "But he's pretty cool. Everyone at school already knows who he is."

"What does he look like?"

Skai laughed again. "Like you two. Except black hair instead of black eyes and his eyes are green instead of blue."

"Huh. Really?"

"Yeah, but he doesn't really say much. Which is the odd thing. He rarely shows expression and when he talks he has this water-like hypnotizing voice."

"Really. What's his name?"

"Eric Vandon."

Jason got quiet. For a second Skai thought he had hung up.

"Eric huh? Skai have you invited him inside yet?" he asked with a slight tone of urgency to his voice.

"Er…Mum let him in for dinner last night," she said thoughtfully. Jason sighed at the other end of the line.

"Keep your distance from him Skai. Please. You could be in great danger. Please Skai," he pleaded.

"Why?" Skai asked, confused. "Is he like a deranged murderer or something?" she asked jokingly. Jason's tone was far from joking though.

"Just please Skai."

"Alright. I'll keep a distance," she agreed. _Yep. About two inches_, she added in her mind.

"Good. I have to go now. I'll talk to you later Skai."

"Okay. Later." She hung up the phone, Jason's warning still running through her mind. _Why?_ She thought. Skai already knew that she wouldn't be able to. There was just something about him that drew her to him like a moth to a light. _Just something about him…_she smiled as she fell asleep on the couch.

She woke up about an hour later. Her mother was bringing in groceries. Eric was following her carrying a large brown bag.

"Skai honey are you awake?" her mother called.

"Sorta…" Skai replied sleepily.

"Good. I need your help with some of these groceries and then with dinner," she said as she sat the last bag down. "Oh Eric dear thank you. It would have taken me much to long to carry all those in by myself."

"My pleasure Mrs. Moonstone. Speaking of which where is Mr. Moonstone?"

Skai jolted her head up, stalking into the kitchen. Her mother stopped. No one had ever asked about Skai's father, and no one talked about him in the tone that Eric used.

"He's….uh…" Mrs. Moonstone groped for words that she couldn't find.

"He's dead," Skai said flatly. "He died in war."

Most people could tell that by the flag in their front yard.

"Dead?" Eric echoed, interested.

"That's right. Dead." Skai replied bitterly. Her mother tried helplessly to cut in. Skai got touchy about her father and Eric taking interest in it infuriated her.

Skai stood up and walked out of the room heatedly. She heard her mother explaining to Eric why she left. She started up the steps to her room, then slammed the door behind her. He was so calm and cool even when talking about death. _How could he?_ She thought. _Doesn't he know who my father is?_ Everyone knew John Moonstone. He was the nicest guy in town. He was the strongest guy in town. When he was home he worked for the local police force. Other times he was with the army reserve.

Even if he did spend a lot of time working he always made time for Skai and her mum. He got pulled away to war 4 years ago and was killed 2 years ago. Skai had only been 12 at the time, but she remembered and missed every detail of her father.

Skai looked up at the picture of him on her bedside. The old picture had been taken when she was roughly 7. But that picture was everything to her.

"Dad…" she whispered. "Why did you have to go?"

"It didn't sound like he had a choice."

Skai turned on her bed. Eric was standing in the doorway. She turned back to stare at the picture.

"I'm sorry Skai. I didn't know." She still didn't say anything. "Your mum told me though. I'm sorry."

"Why did you sound interested when I told you he was dead?" she asked without looking at him.

"I find death interesting," he said simply. "We aren't here forever. I just find it interesting."

"Who in their right mind is interested in death?" she asked, now turning to face him. He grinned.

"No one," he said. "I'm not in my right mind.

Skai laughed. Jason's warning played through her mind again. _Keep your distance from him…_ Skai sighed inwardly. _Oh big brother you should meet him first!_

"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked.

"It's almost dark!"

"Afraid?" he asked playfully.

"Never. Let's go."

They left Skai's house a few minutes later. The two of them started down the sidewalk side by side. The cool winter air bit at her fingers, forcing her hands into her pockets as her feet plowed through fallen leaves. The sun was setting. Eric kept one eye on her as they walked.

"So why are we walking after dark?"

"It's not dark yet," he said, almost anticipating the coming night.

"Either way."

"Call it a whim," he replied. Skai noticed he didn't have his jacket bundled around him as she did.

"Aren't you cold?" she asked him.

"Huh? Oh, no, not really. Are you?"

"I'm freezing!" she replied, pulling her jacket closer. Eric took his jacket off and wrapped it around her. "But what about you? Aren't you going to get cold?"

"Don't worry about me," he whispered. "I'll be fine."

With that Skai pulled the jacket around her. She already felt warmer. It was dark now and just the two of them. Alone. _Wow_, Skai thought. _I'm out alone after dark with a boy I just met yesterday. Yet I feel totally comfortable with him._

Again the warning Jason gave her played through her mind. For an instant she became scared. The wind rustled through a nearby tree, causing her to jump. Eric put his arm around her.

"Just the wind nothing will hurt you while I'm here."

She eased into his arm. Someone had told her that before…but who? It didn't matter. All that mattered was her and Eric and the starlit sky.

"Hey, Eric?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"Why do you like the night?"

"Because, me and my dad move a lot. So I never really know where I am. But the night is the same everywhere. The night just…accepts me."

She thought about his words as they continued walking. _It seems like he's hurting_, she thought. _The way he said that makes it seem like he has no friends at all._ She hugged herself. _I'll be his friend_, she decided.

"Eric?" She asked again quietly.

"Yes?"

"How old are you?"

There was a pause.

"Fifteen." He replied just as quietly.

A little while later they had walked back to Skai's house. Eric left her on her doorstep with a small kiss on the cheek. Thank goodness her mother didn't see that. She went in once he had disappeared into the shadows across the street and plopped herself down on the couch.

"Have fun?" her mother poked her head around the corner from the kitchen.

"Huh? Oh, yeah. It's really pretty outside at night," Skai replied trying to act nonchalant. Her mother gave her a sly smile.

"I was a teenager once too, you know."

Skai was taken aback by her mother's comment. She stared for a second then fell back into the casual attitude she had had before.

"What do you mean?"

"I know better. You were hardly paying attention to the scenery you were watching him," she said as if Skai had been watching her favorite T.V. show.

"Oh please," Skai rolled her eyes. The act was getting harder to manage. "It was just a walk. And it was pretty tonight."

"Uh-huh. The night is pretty and so are you in his jacket."

Skai stopped short. She had totally forgotten that she was wearing his jacket. She searched for words. There were none.

"H-he was just being nice," she insisted. "It was cold and my jacket was too light."

"Mmhmm. You know what he was really doing? Flirting." Skai stared at her mother, who now had a teasing expression on her face. _What kind of mother actually points out when a cute guy likes you?_, she thought. Her mother started goading her on. "Come on you know he was."

"So what if he was? It's no big deal!" Skai exclaimed.

"Alright, it's no big deal," her mother concurred. "But you have to hit the shower then hit the sheets, okay?"

Skai nodded and went upstairs for her shower and bed, reveling in the memory of the walk with Eric.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"You can't get close to her. I should think you know that by now," a cold voice scolded.

"But Father! She's the one! It wouldn't matter what I was!" Eric argued. His father's cold cruel laugh rang through the room.

"Do you love her? Do you think that simply because you love her she will ignore what you are? How foolish. Humans never know, never accept. Get that foolish idea out of your head."

"Father, no. She is attractive, but I mean her blood." A look of interest spread across his father's face. "She smells of mixed blood, but she is still human," Eric explained.

"Ah…so she is compatible?"

"Yes. She can mix with us and them."

"I see…" his father stood from the chair in which he had been lounging in. "Get to her first, whatever you do. The first bloodline to touch her becomes the most dominant. No matter what you must change her first."

"Father you say that like it's a race," Eric reasoned. "Surely there is no threat?"

"They are here, in this town….somewhere."

Eric stopped, choked with anger. His eyes glowed fiercely. He hissed as two fangs extended from his gums.

"What are those mangy mutts doing here?"

"I know not. But keep your eyes open," his father said as he was engulfed by the shadows and disappeared.

Eric breathed hard, trying to calm himself with no real effect. Just the thought that some "mangy mutt" could be anywhere near his Skai made him mad.

Wait. His Skai? He smiled. He was being possessive. Of a human at that. He could hear his father's voice. _"How foolish can you be?! Falling in love with a human?! Preposterous!"_ He grinned at the thought of his father's disapproval. He didn't try to make his father angry. In fact he tried exactly the opposite, but somehow, irritating his father came naturally, no matter what he did to fight it.

He ran his tongue over the teeth in between his fangs. He was thirsty. Remembering what his father said about Skai, he grinned like a hungry cat. Then he remembered what had been said about the wolves. He licked his lips hungrily at the thought of sinking his fangs into one of them. Then he thought of how Skai would take it if he did tell her….

He couldn't imagine her being too harsh…or shunning him. She was too sweet. Would she be afraid? Surely she would be. To think she wouldn't, would just be ludicrous. But would she stay afraid? He frowned, and more than hoped not.

There was something outside. His keen hearing picked up a rustle close by. A wolf? No. They weren't known to find fights. If it were a wolf he would've sensed it already. He kept quiet and listened to the night.

There it was again, closer this time though. The noise continued. Eric still couldn't tell what it was. Then it stopped. He felt eyes on him. Then he heard something that made him freeze. A low growl.

Before he knew it he was being tackled to the ground. Something was on top of him laughing.

"Hi big brother!" a childish voice laughed gaily. Eric realized in an instant who was tackling him.

"Dearec! Get off me!"

The little boy did as he was told.

"Did I scare you big brother did I did I huh?"

Eric glared at his brother. For being dead for over a normal lifespan he was very hyper. He was practically Eric's clone, though instead of green eyes he had a piercing grey. Just like their mother. Despite being brothers, Eric loathed Dearec's hyperactivity.

"Did you miss me Eric?"

"Yeah…" Eric said. "Like a slow healing scab…" he muttered under his breath.

"I knew you did!" The small boy hugged, actually more like choked, his brother, making Eric very thankful he didn't have to breathe.

"Yeah, yeah, I missed you. Now get off of me!" Eric pushed his brother off of him, irritated. He sat up and glared at his little brother. Dearec grinned up at him. "What are you doing here anyway? I thought we ditched…I mean, lost you in Ireland."

"Ha ha very funny Eric. I followed you, taking a ship across the ocean. I followed you to Maine. After that I spent quiet a while trying to find you. And I did!"

"Calm down kid. You're creeping me out."

Dearec pouted. He was 290 years old. Why his older brother continued to treat him like he was only 6 was beyond him.

"I can be mature you know," Dearec said, sounding as serious as he could. "I only look 6, thanks a lot for changing me, but I can still act my age!" he insisted. Eric grinned at him.

"Really? You've made quite the habit of acting more your shoe size than your age."

Again Dearec glared at him.

"If you were acting 290 you'd be playing dead!"

"Only to a human," Eric pointed out. Dearec shrugged, nodding in agreement.

The older brother looked into the distance, starting to drift off. Thinking about how Skai had looked so pretty in the moonlight. His brother watched him.

"What is it big brother?"

"Nothing. Just this girl."

"She's the girl you were walking with earlier, wasn't she? She's pretty." The 6 year old voice returned as Dearec stared at his brother.

"You were following us! Why were you stalking me!" He scrambled for words. "It doesn't matter anyway," he said, hanging his head. "She's human."

"Really? She didn't smell human. She smelled like one of us…oh Eric please tell me you didn't-"

"Don't worry. I didn't," he said truthfully.

"Good. You've already changed members of your own family, like me, but changing random humans would be another rung down the ladder of dignity we've created for ourselves."

_Just one rung?_ Eric thought slyly. _How about five or six?_ His mind went over the prospects….

Later that night, he was unbelievable thirsty. Nothing seemed to subdue him. In a flash he knew what would; human blood. Warm, rich, and sweet. The very thought made his mouth water.

No. He couldn't. No human deserved that. But if not he would thirst. He fought as long as he could. Then hunger took over. His soft green eyes turned red. His controlled fangs became ivory daggers in his mouth. A slave to his hunger, he hunted for someone. Anyone. The streets were empty, and the pain from the hunger was becoming almost too sharp to bear.

He found a house that tempted him, called to him. Not bothering to wonder how he had gotten in so easily, he went to the first room he found. He could sense a heartbeat.

It was a small boy's room, 6 or 7 judging by the lump in the bed. It surprised him to see one so small have a heartbeat so strong. Making him seem even more delicious.

Eric threw off the blankets, sinking his fangs into the boy's neck. He drank the blood in. The boy woke up, and screamed. Eric didn't care.

When the screams died, Eric stopped, knowing that his victim was near death now. He stared blankly out the window. Marinating in the sweet satisfaction of his kill. He brought his sleeve up to his mouth and wiped away the excess blood. Then he looked down at the boy. He froze.

Now he knew why he had gotten in so easily. Why the heartbeat had been so strong. This was his house. This was his brother. His house that he'd broken into, his brother that he'd almost killed.

Frantically he looked around knowing what he had to do. Finally he broke the window, took a shard of the glass, and sliced his hand. Tenderly he held the hand over his brother's mouth. The blood dripped down his throat. His breath stopped scaring Eric. Then his eyes shot open. Blazing grey. It worked.

Eric focused in on reality again. Curiosity and worry flooded into his mind. What if he got like that again? What if he was with Skai when it happened. Would he hold back then? _I won't hurt her_, he swore to himself. _I won't. I'd starve rather then taint her with my sickening disease._

Dearec stared at his brother, strangely quiet.

"Why so quiet big brother?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing."

"I know what it is," Dearec sounded like he just caught on.

"What?" Eric asked dryly. Dearec started singing in a childish voice.

"Eric and a human, sittin' in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G. First comes love, then comes blood, then comes death and marriage!"

Eric's eyes grew wide and he lunged for Dearec.

"You immature little brat!"

Dearec giggled and laughed as Eric fell onto his stomach, putting Dearec out of reach. He glared at his brother from the floor. Getting an evil idea he grinned. He stood up, fading into the darkness. Dearec looked warily around. Slowly Eric made his way behind his brother, then he leapt.

He sat on a squirming Dearec.

"Get off me!"

"Nope." He sat on Dearec like a throne. "Eric rules. Say it."

"Never! I don't lie!" Eric pushed down harder. "Okay! Eric rules!"

The older boy stood up.

"And don't you forget it."


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning when Skai got to the bus stop she expected to see Eric. To her surprise, Jason was standing there. He looked just as healthy as ever.

"Jase!" she called, running to the corner to meet him. "What are you doing here? I mean I thought you were sick, and doesn't your mum drive you to school?"

"I feel well enough to go to school. Matt still has a fever and mum is staying home to take care of him."

"Oh…do you know what exactly it is you two were sick with?"

"No….Mum says it was just a fever though."

Skai was glad to have him back. Now that he was though she didn't know what to say to him. It felt awkward now. Then, as if things weren't awkward enough, Eric came walking across the road.

"Hello there Skai. Who's this?"

"Hey Eric…er….this is Jason. Jason this is Eric."

"Hey," Jason said, acknowledging Eric with a polite nod. "You're the one that had a strange disease right?" He asked , and Jason nodded. "It's a good thing you're over it. I've heard it can be fatal." There was a strange iciness in his voice as Jason met his eyes.

"Well, my brother is still under its shadow…" Jason said, still not lowering his gaze.

Skai watched the two of them nervously. There was tension between them. Why? Skai felt desperate, like she was missing something. One thing was apparent: they didn't like each other... At all.

"Let us hope he makes as fantastic a recovery as you have," Eric's voice was so icy it gave Skai the chills. "I'm sorry, what's your name again?"

"Jason," he replied. "Damien." He looked at Skai almost like he forgot she was there.

"Ah…yes. I've heard about you….you know how people talk at school."

"Yeah….people talk a lot around James B."

"Most of what I hear comes from her."

Jason grinned. "I can't say I'm surprised. We're like siblings," he said as he threw his arm around Skai, which made her laugh.

"Yep. Sometimes we can even tell what each other is thinking."

"Like right now, for instance. She's thinking that I'm annoying and to get my arm off of her." He hugged Skai tightly, then, noticing Eric's stony gaze, let her go.

Just as he released Skai the bus showed up. The three of them got on. Lily wasn't on so Skai sat in an empty seat. Jason sat beside her.

"Well?" she asked, anxious.

`"He's okay…I guess. But still, please keep your distance from him Skai. Just trust me on this one."

Skai was deeply disappointed. She became angry that he was actually telling her who she could hang out with.

"No," she said. Jason looked thoroughly surprised. "I'm sorry Jase. But I really like him." She shot a look at Eric to make sure he wasn't paying attention. "And I'm not going to avoid him just because you tell me to. Nothing you say can change my mind." At the next stop she moved up to sit beside Eric.

Jason sat in the seat, staring at the place that Skai had occupied a few moments before. Half angry and half dumbfounded at his friend's behavior. Finally he brought himself back. He watched her for a minute. She was talking with him, laughing with him. She flipped her hair behind her back. Her words echoed through his mind. They were like poison. _That lying pretty boy. If she knew what he really was, she wouldn't give him the time of day. I smelled dried blood on him all the way at our house. He'd better not even think of biting her. If he does I'll bite him…_ His teeth sharpened in his mouth in anger. He felt his eyes dilate but he kept control.

Through every class that day he could smell dried blood. No matter where Eric was, Jason could still smell him. If there was anything more sickening than his scent, it was the fact that everyone knew him. Constantly girls were gossiping about him. Some boys high-fived him, others (to Jason's great pleasure) gave him nasty looks behind his back.

Shortly after school he met Eric in the locker room, as the pale boy was tying his sneakers.

"Hey." He sat his bag down and took a seat on the bench beside Eric.

"Skai told me about the fight you two had. Sorry about that," Eric said without looking up.

Jason looked slightly embarrassed. He didn't mean to be mean or anything. He just didn't want anything to happen to Skai.

"Why shouldn't she hang around me? Why should she keep her distance?"

His embarrassment left him as quickly as it had come. Now was the time. He had to tell Eric he knew and hope it didn't end badly.

"Because I know what you are," he said quietly. Eric was turned away, but Jason could tell he was smiling.

"What are you talking about?" he said as he stood, still not facing Jason. Jason could hear the smirk in his voice.

"You know full well what I mean. I've smelled the blood you're covered in all day." Jason's anger was rising. He's teeth sharpened again.

"So what if I am?" Eric turned to face him. "Humans can't smell blood. Can they wolf boy?" There was a mocking look on his face. Matt growled softly. It was true. Human senses were too weak to smell blood.

"What do you want with Skai?"

"Nothing. I just want her. She's beautiful, kind, and she has the most interesting blood type…"Jason froze. He knew. Eric continued. "It doesn't smell human. But she isn't anything other than human. She's the cross blood."

Jason completely froze. He even stopped breathing. How did he find out? He dropped the act.

"That's it. I'm not sure what kind of sick game you're playing. But leave Skai be." The disobedient smirk still carved into Eric's face infuriated Jason. "I'm serious. Leave her be."

"Oh, I won't do anything. You should know as well as I that biting an unwilling human is forbidden."

"You've been lying to her," Jason growled.

"I'm not the only one though, am I? Or have you honestly told her about your little moon-induced problem?"

Jason growled louder.

"Thought not. I'm no more lying to her than you are."

The lights flicked on and off. Even though Jason never took his eyes off of him, in the split moment when all was dark, Eric disappeared.

2 hours later Jason was pacing in the room he shared with his brother. Matt was sitting up in his bed, watching him.

"Are you serious?" Matt asked for the fifteenth time.

"I'm very serious!" Jason said, a note of desperation to his voice as he continued to pace.

"What are you going to do?"

"What can I do? I don't have much choice but to tell her." Matt gasped. "I know, I know. 'Keep her out of danger; don't let her get too involved.' But she doesn't even realize she's in danger! And if we don't tell her she's going to get more than involved.

Matt sat quietly. Jason stopped pacing and sat on his brother's bed, breathing hard. The unspoken question floating between the two of them was: _How will she take it?_

It didn't matter now. As long as she knew. Jason hoped he was making the right choice. She was already mad at him. If worse came to worse she'd think he was mental. He'd have to worry about that later.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Skai sat on the couch eating chicken noodles. Every few minutes she'd pick up the remote and flip the channel on the television. She sat cross legged, contentedly slurping up her food when there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she said through her slurps. The door opened. Jason came walking into the living room. "Hey," Skai slurped up more noodles. Jason laughed. "What's so funny?" she snapped.

"Nothing. You just…you look weird like that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's a cute weird though," he said gently. She blushed and continued eating her noodles and flipping the TV channel. "Do you wanna go for a walk?"

Skai looked at him. "What?"

"Do you want to go for a walk?" he repeated slowly.

"Sure. Just let me finish my noodles and get my jacket."

Minutes later, the headed out, Skai making sure to pick up a heavier jacket than the one she had worn while walking with Eric.

October winds weren't too bad outside. In fact, considering how far north they were it was rather warm for October. Skai broke the silence with a question. "Why'd you wanna go for a walk?"

"Oh, just to talk."

She had an off feeling that there was something specific he wanted to talk about.

"Talk? I thought you said I talk too much," she grinned at him.

"Only sometimes," he replied softly. "Skai, look. I wanna tell you something." He stopped walking.

"Yeah?" She looked somewhat worried.

"Uh…" he tried to find where to start. "Here, sit down." She sat on a nearby bench. "Skai, you know how I growl under my breath sometimes? Or how I never leave the house on a full moon?"

She nodded.

"Do you know why?"

She shook her head this time, looking up at him with the most wide, innocent, and curious eyes that she could manage. "No," she said quietly.

Jason turned away from her. His fists clenched.

"It's because…I'm," he sighed and finished very quietly without facing her. "A wolf."

Skai watched him, confused. _A wolf? Obviously he's joking. He's a human, not a wolf._

"A wolf?" she asked, innocent and confused. "How can you be a wolf? You're perfectly human."

He still didn't face her. "Werewolf."

"No you're not! Stop kidding!"

"No! I am, really! Have you ever once seen me under a full moon's light? No. I did my best to avoid that." He's spun around to face her. He looked angry. It almost scared her. He opened his mouth. "Skai, look at me. Look at my teeth." She looked, and gasped. His teeth were pointed and razor sharp. She noticed his nails doing the same thing. "It's true. That's one of the reason's we've been trying to protect you."

Skai was more than scared now. She was terrified. Who was this? Why did he look like Jason? It wasn't Jason though. She had never met this person, no. She had never met this creature before.

"Skai?" he asked. She took a deep breath.

"Explain, please. How are you a…wolf? What are you protecting me from?"

He sat down beside her.

"I was born one. Mum's the wolf in the family. And I'm supposed to protect you from anything you can't protect yourself from."

Skai stared blankly.

"Why me?" she asked. "Why is it so important to protect me?"

"You have mixed blood. You can be bitten by a wolf or a vampire and live, while retaining the powers of both."

"Vampire?"

"Yes. There are vampires around here. Eric, for instance."

Her breath caught in her throat. Her whole body went numb. Her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Eric?" her voice sounded hoarse. Jason nodded solemnly.

"I'm sorry but I had to tell you. Eric knows about your blood. If he bit you…you'd change and be just like him, except stronger."

"And Matt?"

He nodded again. "We're brothers."

She couldn't breathe. She felt dizzy. All this was like some story she read. Her breathing became heavy. Then without warning, everything went black.

She woke up a few hours later. She was in her room and the lights were off. _How'd I end up back here?_ She thought. _Where's Jase? Jase!!_ The whole conversation came back to her in a flash.

"Are you okay?" a familiar voice cut through the darkness.

She looked up, scanned the blackness of her room. Finally she spotted a pale figure in the moonlight. Her eyes focused in on it. Eric.

"Skai, are you okay?" he repeated soothingly. She nodded. In the moonlight he looked paler than usual. Almost ghostly. She remembered what Jason had said about him earlier.

_"He's a vampire. He knows about your blood. If he bit you…you'd change and be like him…"_ His voice echoed through her mind as if he had just said it. He was crazy, surely he was. _Werewolves and vampires? What is this, some bad horror movie? Maybe he was joking. Halloween spirit or something like that. It wasn't exactly funny…_

She snapped out of her reverie. She looked around her room for Eric's pale moonlit figure. He was gone.

"Eric?" she called quietly. "Are you there?" No response.

_It was a dream._ She told herself. _I was just sleeping. Still…I've never had that talk with Jason…and Eric. Eric was never here._ She settled her mind on that, then glanced at the clock. 12:02. She woke up in the middle of the night….from a nightmare? Definitely a nightmare, it was too scary to accept as reality. Skai lay back in bed and tried to sleep. It wouldn't come. She groaned and rolled over, staring at the clock, she thought it al through again.

_It was a dream. Jason. Eric. And that stupid talk. All just figments of my imagination._ Why did it sound like such a lie? It wasn't! It had been a dream! She tried to think reasonably. _That would explain a lot though,_ she thought. _Why he's never here during a full moon or why Eric was so pale and seemed older than he looked. That would explain Jason growling a lot. WHAT am I thinking? That's crazy!_

Skai rolled over and threw her head into the pillow. _Jason has to prove it_, she decided. Proof. What was proof? Fur, claws, a howl, anything. No offense to him, but this was just a bit difficult to believe. Closing her eyes she fell asleep.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Perched outside her window, Eric watched her. Watched her call for him. Watched her fall back to sleep. _He told her!_ He thought. _Well then, that just opens her to fair game._ He ran his tongue over his teeth as his fangs grew. He calmed himself. _No…I'll let her come to me. Or even better, have her come to me right in front of that fur covered idiot!_ He grinned to himself, his fangs retreating into his gums.

Eric jumped from his perch, satisfied with his new plan. He knew nothing would get in his way. He just had to place the right words, give a little time, and Skai would come to him over anyone. All he had to do was wait.

Days went by. Each day Eric avoided Jason a little more. At first Skai would tell him, "Later", and run off with Jason. Then she would stop to decide as the boys went their separate ways. Finally after about a month it was Jason who was getting the fond "Later". It was time.

While they were at the park one day Skai did the work for him.

"Hey, Eric?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah?" He already knew what she was going to ask.

"Jason told me something a little while ago…and…I wanna know if it's true." She looked away from him.

"What'd he say?" He asked, knowing fully well what Jason had told her.

"He said….he said you are a vampire."

Knowing she wasn't looking, Eric couldn't help but grin to himself. He tried his very best to make himself sound innocent.

"A vampire?" he sounded more intrigued than innocent. "Why would he tell you that?"

Skai turned to him with wide eyes. There was a spark of fear swimming in their emerald depths.

"Is it true?"

He looked deeply into her eyes. He knew he could tell her. Right then, though he didn't want to tell her for his plan. He wanted to tell her so she'd know. So there would be nothing between them.

He woke himself from his childish dream. Remembering with sick realization that simply….he was dead. Finally, he answered her.

"Yes," he whispered, never looking away from her golden green eyes. The two of them stayed like that for a long while.

"You are? You're really a…?" she couldn't finish her sentence. She looked frightened.

"Yes," he repeated as softly as possible. Skai didn't move, she didn't look away from his eyes, and he could see the fear growing. "I would never hurt you Skai. I promise. I didn't want to in the woods. Your dark beauty drew me in." His teeth pointed slightly as his fingers gently caressed her neck. Skai broke the connection, pulling away from his grasp.

"Wait. The woods?"

"Yes, that night in the woods all those weeks ago. That was me."

She froze. Eric wasn't too surprised. She relaxed a little bit. That surprised him.

"I knew I had seen your eyes before," she said, looking into his piercing green eyes again. She smiled. Eric laughed, relieved that the tense atmosphere had faded.

"Yes. Somehow our eyes become headlights at night." He laughed again, this time Skai joining him.

"Wait. If that's true, then I'm really…." There was a childish spark of curiosity in her eyes. He nodded. "But how?"

He shrugged. "I do not know. Two people in your bloodline were different. When they had a child it was most likely passed along, right down to you."

He looked into her eyes again. He drank in her every feature, his eyes lingering at her neck. It was pale and thin. His teeth pointed, and his fingertips delicately stroked where her pulse was strongest. She made no objection. He came closer, closer, ever so closer….

"Skai!" a boy's voice hollered. She jolted out of Eric's trance, out of his grasp. She looked excited.

"Matt!" she screamed. She ran over to him, tackling him to the ground. "You're okay!"

"Yeah that was a bit of a cold," he joked, picking himself and her up and setting her back on her feet. He caught site of Eric. Already knowing full well who and what he was, he asked; "Who's this?"

Eric stood.

"I should be going," he said quietly, his hands shoved in his pockets. He turned and began to walk away. Skai ran after him.

"Eric!"

He stopped and turned. She kissed him, throwing him completely off guard. Eric relaxed into his, wrapping his arms around her.

Matt watched in horror. He knew that he should be there, kissing Skai, holding her. Not some undead pretty boy who couldn't care less. Not Eric. Without realizing it, he growled. The two of them broke apart. Matt glared at Eric with utmost loathing. Skai smiled and gave a flirtatious giggle. It was all Matt could do to stop from retching.

"I'll call you later," she said, still grinning. He grinned back, letting go of her. Skai turned and skipped back to Matt, giving Eric one last flirty wave before he disappeared.


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Matt huffed, still angry about what had happened in the park. He was pacing back and forth in Skai's living room.

"You can't listen to him!" he snapped for the fifth time since they got home. Skai was sitting on the couch sucking on a popsicle. She was barely listening to Matt as he paced.

"You can't trust him if you can't throw him!"

Skai took the popsicle out of her mouth. "I'll bet you can throw him pretty far... Plus, I can't throw you at all." She popped the popsicle back into her mouth at Matt's glare.

"Not, the, point," he growled. "The point is, he's DEAD! You can't trust dead things!"

"You're half a dog!" she spat back. "Does that mean I shouldn't trust you?"

Matt looked a little hurt. "At least I care enough not to kill you…" he whispered quietly.

Skai stared at him. Why didn't he trust Eric. He just met him. Did Matt honestly think that Eric would try to kill her? What would he do? Bite her? But he had promised to protect her. Skai shook her head.

"No. Prove it. If Eric poses such threats then prove it," she shot at him. Matt's expression hardened as she looked into his blue eyes.

"I shouldn't have to," he said coldly. "You should be able to trust me." He sat down beside her, looking into her eyes. Seeming to be trying to find any trace of the Skai he had known before he became ill.

Skai looked away him, unable to bear his gaze. She felt guilty now. Why didn't she listen to him? He was right, he shouldn't have to. They had been friends since they were 5, and now some guy was going to ruin it? The doorbell rang. She already knew who it was and sighed deeply.

"Look, it's just….do you know how hard it is to like someone that both of your best friends hate?" she pleaded without looking at him.

Matt stood up, still looking rather hurt.

"Fine, but if he bites you, it's your own fault," he said. He turned and walked to the door. Just one last look at Skai, who still didn't turn, then he opened the door and walked out, passing his brother.

Skai sat by herself in silence. Jason had walked back to his house with Matt, and she was alone. Emotions swept through her so quickly she barely had any time to register them all. She didn't want to lose her friend, but she really liked Eric. Even if he was a vampire. A final emotion engulfed her. Anger. She became angry at Matt for not trusting her. Angry at the both of them for not trusting her. Fury surged through her, she wanted to get even with the both of them. And she knew just how to do it.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The following few days she remained angry at the pair of them. She avoided them whenever possible. This wasn't too hard, because she spent a lot of her time with Eric, who was like Damien repellent.

One evening during Skai and Eric's daily walk, Skai asked him the question that she had been pondering all week.

"If you liked someone enough, would you change them?"

Eric looked at her, surprised to hear such a question coming from her so boldly.

"Well…I do have to find a partner. But they'd have to be willing to give up life…" he trailed off, as if the odds of finding someone who would die for him were impossible.

"Me," Skai said, noticing his tone. He looked at her, right into her eyes. It was one of those moments where it seemed that only the two of them existed.

"You'd die, for me?" he stuttered in amazement. All she did was nod. She pulled her wavy hair to one side, revealing her neck.

Eric stroked the side of it delicately with one hand. He let his fangs point and grow longer. His eyes turned crimson as he reared his head back. Skai felt a sharp pain as he pierced her neck. And everything went black.

Matt didn't trust Skai with Eric. And he especially didn't trust the two of them alone. So, even though he was mad at her, his concern outweighed his anger. He tried his best to listen, letting his ears transform into their wolfish state. They were too far away. If he got any closer, even Skai would be able to spot him. Then he saw Eric rear his head back and, knowing what was coming, he watched in horror as he bit Skai's neck.

"Skai!"

Eric looked up, dropping Skai. She fell back onto a bench, out cold. Just knocked out, or dead, Matt couldn't tell.

Before he knew it he was running to her. Eric stood up on the bench, blood still dripping from his mouth. He watched Matt a minute than jumped to an inhuman height, landing perfectly on his feet in front of Matt. The boy stopped, and glared at Eric.

"You bit her…YOU MONSTER YOU BIT HER!" he screamed angrily.

"Yes, my plan from the start. As long as I change her first she'll be bound to me…" Eric sounded proud of what he'd done. Which only made Matt angrier.

"You never really cared, did you? The whole time this has been nothing but a joke to you."

Eric smiled evilly. "Yes…and you all fell for it." At Matt's look of confusion he continued. "That disease you had was no disease. Just a trick I learned. You see I knew it would be easier to seduce her if her two guardians were out of the picture. Unfortunately, the two of you were stronger than I had thought. Incapacitation being better than no result at all, I modified my plan. Now she'll be just like me, hating you whining dogs without a second thought of her former life!" These last words he spat so forcefully that Matt had to take a few steps back. By this time, Eric's eyes had faded back to their hypnotizing green, and his teeth had all but relaxed.

Matt growled and started to shake as he lost control. His teeth and nails sharpened themselves, he clenched his eyes shut. _Must…stay…calm…_he thought. With one short howl escaping his lips, he regained his self-discipline.

"Don't stop, wolf boy. I quite enjoy this dinner and a show," Eric smirked, gesturing to Skai's unmoving form on the bench. As soon as the words left his lips, Jason appeared beside his brother. "Vandon. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You owe me but one thing Damien. I have released you from our guardianship to Miss Moonstone."

Jason's eyes shifted to Skai's unmoving body, then flicked back to Eric. The vampire was thinking.

"I think a lifetime of servitude from at least one of you dogs would suffice as payment. Show the rest of your kind what you're really meant for on this earth."

Unsuspected, Jason plowed into Eric, both boys tumbling to the ground. Matt was still too stunned to move. Jason punched the vampire numerous times in the face, and Eric just let the punches come and come and come. After a few minutes, Eric closed his eyes for a few moments, then opened them. A blazing red. He bared his fangs, hissing. Jason jumped off of him, backing up a few paces. Eric leapt to his feet in one bound, hissing again. Matt finally found the strength to move his feet, leaping forward to stand beside his brother. The vampire knocked both werewolves over. The three boys tussled on the ground, each trying to hurt their enemy as much as possible.

During the boy's fight, Skai had been working her way towards consciousness. Eric had consumed almost all of her blood. Almost. A small portion of her blood remained in her body. That portion was growing smaller by the second, because Skai's body was too weak to fight off the power, her mind too fragile to resist the temptation of becoming more than she already was. She lapsed back into unconsciousness for a few moments, letting Eric's new influence take over.


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

The three boys stopped their fight as they heard a rustle from the bench where Skai still lay. Or where they thought she had been laying. She was standing now, walking gracefully towards them, a giant smile upon her face. The girl stopped a few feet away from where the boys were sitting. Skai looked different now. Her emerald eyes had taken on a deep, hypnotizing touch, just like Eric's. Her skin was a pale that bordered translucent. Her hair looked as it always had, but even as the breeze blew, it didn't move, didn't bounce when she walked like it used to.

Matt jumped to his feet, covering the distance between them within a few strides. He took her by the shoulders, shaking her fiercely.

"Skai! Skai are you alright?"

"I'm fine Matt. In fact, I've never been better." She smiled again. This time, however, two of her teeth became razor sharp, and her eyes became crimson. Matt let go of her shoulders, uttering a faint "No." The event had also been seen by Jason. Both young werewolves began howling mournfully, full of grief for their lost friend. While the werewolves howled, the vampire leapt to his feet, scarlet eyes blazing in triumph as he went to stand beside the former human who was now his own. He wrapped an arm around her waist, and she leaned against him, feeling only a shard of sympathy for the two boys who were now her enemies. Matt's howling stopped, and he lowered his head, his sapphire eyes meeting Skai's ruby ones. Skai's body gave an instinct-powered shudder as the sorrow filled eyes looked into her. She was barely aware of Eric, the boy she loved, beginning to speak.

"Dogs! I have broken no rules. Skai was willing to become mine, so there is no need for you to linger here. Take your pack and leave! If you do not, well, let's just say that I hope the new Skai is ready for her first challenge…"

Skai hissed softly, running her tongue over her fangs. "I assure you, I am ready for the task of getting rid of a few measly canines," she spat, eyeing Matt and Jason thirstily.

"Skai, no! Don't listen to him!" Jason screamed.

"Think Skai! You know us, you know we wouldn't do anything to harm you! You can resist him!" Matt cried.

Skai jerked involuntarily as the words entered her mind. She shook her head from side to side, trying to get the words out of her head like a dog tries to rid its ears of water. She wriggled out of Eric's grasp, coming to stand halfway between the vampire and the werewolves.

"Funny," she mumbled. "It seems I'll always be stuck between the two, no matter if I was turned or not."

She began to think, blocking out cries of "Come to me!" by both Matt and Eric.

_I love Eric, but what about Mat and Jason? We've been friends for so long, can it just end because of a rivalry between what I am and what they are? Eric seems to want me to kill them….._

Skai ran her tongue over her fangs again. She relaxed, her fangs returning to normal and her eyes becoming green once more. _If Eric can't respect my friends, I don't want to be with him!_ She turned to the vampire, saying the words she had just though aloud.

Eric took a step back. "Wh-wh-what?" he stuttered. "You can't do this to me! I, who turned you, I, who love you! Don't throw it all away for them, Skai! If you do, you will be shunned by every vampire you meet, for your story shall spread like wildfire!"

Skai lost control again, leaping to Eric, sinking her fangs into his neck, drinking deeply of the blood he had stolen from her. Eric shrieked, his voice rising through the scales until a nearby street lamp broke. He then fell unconscious. Skai collapsed once more, arms and legs bent at awkward angles, appearing to be in sleep. Jason and Matt resumed their mournful howling, for the Skai Moonstone they knew would never return.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Matt took Eric's body into the woods, where he shredded it with his claws and burned the pieces with some matches that he kept handy. He returned to Jason and Skai, now unsure of what to do.

"Let's take her to Lily," He said. "Maybe she can help."

Matt nodded mutely. He picked up Skai, cradling her in his arms, and started walking.

15 minutes later the threesome was at Lily's house, knocking on the door. Lily opened it, her curly blonde hair dancing wildly around her head.

"Bring her in!" she cried. "I saw you coming up the street. What happened?"

Matt, still mute, looked at Jason, who turned her head so that the two holes were visible.

"Vamp bite," he said dully. "She turned, killed him, fell unconscious. We thought you could help, you being a witch and all."

They lay Skai down on Lily's kitchen table.

"Mother!" Lily called anxiously.

A woman with dark, curly hair rushed in. "I heard. What do you want done with her?"

"Change her back!" Matt blurted.

Anna, Lily's mother, was usually the best woman for an emergency and she didn't fall short now. "Lily, go get my book."

Lily nodded and disappeared as Anna now turned to the boys.

"Matt, get me a warm washcloth. Jason, fetch a pillow for her. Ah Lily, thank you dear." The boys scurried off to find what Anna had asked for. Lily stood beside her mother, looking at her unconscious friend.

"Will she be okay Mum?"

Anna paused from looking through her spellbook for a moment to look at her daughter.

"I don't know. I do know we have to do this quickly, before the bite takes over completely," she said with a seriousness that made Lily shiver. Her mother smiled. "I don't know, but don't worry, okay? Now go get three vials and my good stirring spoon." Lily obeyed.

Jason came walking back holding one of the couch pillows. Gently he lifted Skai's head and slipped the pillow beneath it. Mat came back seconds later, a dripping washcloth in his hands.

"Wring it out of course, and Jason, try to prop her head up. We're going to need her to drink and she can't lying back."

Jason nodded and started readjusting Skai. Matt returned with the damp washcloth, and waited for instruction.

"Matt, clean the blood away from the bite. Be careful, that area will be tender and we can't afford her waking up."

"Why?" Matt asked as Lily returned and began setting the vials and a spoon on the counter.

"Because," Lily started, turning to face the boys with a solemn face. "If she wakes up the influence will spread through her more quickly." She had somewhat of an edge to her voice as she spoke.

Jason didn't take offense just merely nodded, propping her up more. Matt became nervous, afraid that he'd accidentally press too hard and seal Skai's fate as his enemy. Somehow he managed to keep his hand steady and get the dried blood off the wound without waking her up.

Now all three of the children were looking at Anna, who was the only one who knew what she was doing.

"The ingredients for the potion will be simple, but somewhat hard to get a hold of," she explained, bringing a large pot of water to a boil on the stove. Jason and Matt looked at each other.

"We'll do it," they said together, sounding very determined.

"All right. We need some of Skai's hair, blood from the vampire that bit her, and a wolf tear," she said, reading from the worn leather book.

Lily smirked at the last part, and judging by the horrified look on the boy's faces they were thinking the same thing. Or so she thought.

"B-blood? From the vampire?" Matt asked in disbelief. Their mouths dropped open as they stared blankly at each other, thinking the same thing.

"Yes…blood…" Lily said, confused. "What's the problem?"

A guilty look crossed Jason's face. "Uh…is that ingredient, you know, mandatory?" he asked sheepishly. Anna stepped forward and spoke gently but firmly.

"Boys this is really important. What happened to the vampire?" Anna asked. Jason felt even worse.

"We kinda got rid of him…" Matt said as Jason began to open his mouth. He quickly shut it and gave his brother a grateful look. Both lily and Ana gave them a blank stare.

"Got rid of him?" Anna asked. "How did you manage that?"

The boys looked at each other. The fact was, he was gone, so what did it matter? Jason spoke first this time.

"Shredded and burned," He said strongly, only a hint of regret in his voice, preparing himself for any reaction that either Anna or Lily might have.

Lily looked at her mother, who still wore the same blank stare.

"Then he's really dead?" she asked in obvious disbelief. Jason nodded. Anna blinked a few times before coming out of her stare. "Not many teenage wolves can take down a vampire, that, judging by Skai's mark, was well over 175 years old," she explained. "Consider yourselves fortunate. As for the matter of the blood…" she trailed off as she lapsed into thought.

"Well, Eric's no good anymore," Matt reasoned. Lily stared at him.

"ERIC!? YOU KILLED ERIC VANDON?!" she screamed. A flat look crossed Jason's face.

"Yes Lily we killed your beloved hottie," he replied with a smirk. Matt however didn't find it funny.

"HE NEARLY KILLED SKAI! HOT OR NOT HE WAS A BLOODSUCKING MURDERER!" he screamed. Lily went quiet. She pouted but said nothing more.

"Back to the matter of the unconscious girl on the table hours away from being undead," Jason said coolly. The both of them went silent. They had temporarily forgotten their undying friend.

The four of them sat in silence for a while. The blood was mandatory, no way around it. Matt took to sitting beside Skai, stroking her brown hair sadly. Jason watched, knowing Matt would be ultimately crushed if they couldn't turn her back.

"Is there really no other way?" Matt asked quietly after what felt like a forever's silence. Anna sighed.

"Not unless he had a brother who was just like him." At that moment, Lily jumped to her feet, curls bouncing.

"He does! He does have a brother! Dearec! He used to talk about him!" she explained, sitting back down. Jason and Matt exchanged a glance.

"Would that work?" Jason asked. Anna nodded. "Awesome!"

Matt jumped down off the table and high-fived his brother.

"Great….just one problem. We don't know where Dearec is!" Lily pointed out. But that didn't seem to be able to lower the boys' spirits now.

Jason pulled a black piece of fabric from his back pocket. "No, we don't. Not yet anyway." He said as he walked up to Matt, tying the black fabric over his eyes. "Matt has to sniff him out." Anna laughed, Lily sighed.

"You're just treating him like he was a real dog?" Lily asked, quite unimpressed. Both boys nodded, grinning insanely. "Oh brother." The boys high-fived a second time and headed for the door.

Outside, Matt breathed in the cool night air. There was a slight breeze but it made no difference to him. Already he could smell, ever so faintly, a young vampire. He readied himself to follow the scent, then heard Jason behind him.

"Ready?" the grin could be heard in his voice. "Fetch!" With that, Matt was gone into the black night. Wind rushed past him, he could hear his footsteps double and knew Jason was right beside him.

Running through the night, seeing nothing but the blindfold, hearing the wind whistle by his ears, he didn't need any of his senses except his nose. As he ran though, it became harder for him to focus on his nose. He thought about Skai. About how she had chosen over him, then changed her mind and chose with him. Now she was on the verge of un-death, and needed his help. Just then a thought occurred to him. Why? Why did she change her mind? Why didn't she act as Eric said and hate the two of them? More importantly, why was he helping her now?

She didn't listen to him in the first place, if she had none of this would've happened. She'd be safe, and she'd be alive. This was her fault; she got herself into this, so why did he have to get her out? He knew the answer but refused to let himself think it right then. All he let himself think of was how much this was her fault.

Then the image of Eric sinking his inhuman teeth into Skai, robbing her of precious blood came into his mind. His fury was redirected at Eric. All was fine until he came along. He thought of Skai, lying unconscious and dying on Lily's kitchen table. She looked so serene, so calm, like she was just sleeping. But he knew that's how all people look when they're dead. Now he allowed himself to think it, the forbidden reason. He loved her.

"You alright?" Jason's voice brought him back to reality.

"Of course," he replied, speaking in wolf as Jason had been. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"You were whimpering," Jason said in human. Matt heard the footsteps slow and knew Jason had stopped running. Matt stopped as well, and looked back at his brother through the blindfold.

"I don't have a reason to whimper," he said feeling the sympathetic gaze Jason was giving him. "And don't give me that look," he snapped. Jason walked forward and removed the blindfold. He looked at his little brother in an odd way.

"Don't kid yourself little brother. I know what you're thinking. This isn't just another ignorant human that got herself in trouble. This isn't just someone we have to help. And this isn't just a scraped knee, or a bruise. Admit it. You're worried about her."

Matt glared at him. "You say that like you aren't worried!"

Jason's eyes narrowed. "I'm only worried about my friend. You're worried about her for an entirely different reason."

Matt glared again but didn't say anything. He tied the blindfold around his eyes again and went back to the hunt. Jason made no more argument.

Matt picked up the pace again. Of course he was worried for a different reason. Why did Jason all of a sudden make him feel like admitting it? His thoughts began to wander like that, but only briefly. Now the scent was so strong he couldn't possibly be any closer to it. It was mixing with something though. Ash, and the scent of a fresh kill. Before he had any time to analyze it, he heard Jason behind him, calling "Watch out!" It was too late. The next thing Matt knew he was on the ground, cold hands at his throat, crushing his windpipe.

He could see nothing but the blindfold in front of his eyes. He worked against whatever was on top of him, attempting to either get it or the blindfold off. He heard a growl and felt a rush of air above him as his throat was released. Hastily he wrenched the blindfold off as he leapt up. He saw his brother struggling…. with Eric? Jason was thrown off and the other figure stood up, giving Matt a chance to see him clearly.

Dearec was like Eric in miniature. Same messy black hair, same sneering grin on his face. If it weren't for the difference in height and those eyes, piercing ocean blue, he would've thought that they were the same person. He looked like a 7 year old, but Matt knew that he was much older that even 10.

"You murderers!" Dearec screamed in a very childish voice. "You killed Eric!"

"Actually…" Jason said coolly, drawing Dearec's full attention to him. "Only one of us killed him," he finished with a smirk. Dearec didn't want to play guessing games. He sprang on Jason, who sidestepped the leaping vampire. Dearec got up and sprang again. Jason sidestepped, placing Matt directly in Dearec's path.

Matt heard his brother scream; "Don't let him bite you!" just before being tackled to the ground. He could barely hold off the furious little vampire, but he didn't want to even begin to wonder what would happen if he was bitten. Putting all his effort into it, he managed to push Dearec off.

"Which of you murderous dogs killed my brother?" Dearec seemed almost hysterical. Neither of them answered. Jason had a relaxed grin spread across his face. Matt was tense and ready. How could Jason be so calm? He burned him didn't he? Shouldn't he be worried that Dearec would figure that out? Dearec saw the grin on Jason's face.

"You!" he screeched, pointing at Jason. "You did it!

Matt heard his brother scream; "Don't let him bite you!" just before being tackled to the ground. He could barely hold off the furious little vampire, but he didn't want to even begin to wonder what would happen if he was bitten. Putting all his effort into it, he managed to push Dearec off.

"Which of you murderous dogs killed my brother?" Dearec seemed almost hysterical. Neither of them answered. Jason had a relaxed grin spread across his face. Matt was tense and ready. How could Jason be so calm? He burned him didn't he? Shouldn't he be worried that Dearec would figure that out? Dearec saw the grin on Jason's face.

"You!" he screeched, pointing at Jason. "You did it! You reduced my brother to ash!" The grin got wider.

"I admit it. I did burn Eric, but I didn't kill him," he said calmly. Matt felt like he was missing something. He had killed Eric, why was he lying. Jason never lied. With a sickening realization, he came to the conclusion that Jason didn't kill Eric. Skai did.


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Lily had been watching Skai anxiously. Her breathing was beginning to slow, and her color was beginning to fade. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and turned to see her mother.

"She'll be just fine," Anna said reassuringly. But Lily knew better. Skai wouldn't be fine at all, unless Jason and Matt hurried.

Matt dodged Dearec for the third time. After Jason's confession Dearec felt positive that Matt had killed Eric. As the little vampire lunged at Matt, trying to get a clear shot at his neck, Matt was trying desperately to figure out what his brother was playing at. What was he supposed to do now? Kill Dearec? Almost like Jason had heard his thoughts he screamed "Don't kill him! Just distract him!"

_Great, I'm a decoy_, Matt thought flatly. He did as he was told and dodged Dearec again, while still making sure he had the small boy's full attention. Every dodge and duck was getting harder though. Matt looked around. Jason seemed to have disappeared. _First he turns me into bloodsucker bait. Then he disappears! I'm definitely getting ripped off._

Before he knew it, Dearec tackled him again. Matt struggled under the impressive weight of the small boy. Dearec bore down on Matt with all his strength. Matt couldn't move. He could see nothing but the terrifying sight as Dearec reared back to latch onto his neck. He shut his eyes and waited for the sharp pain of the bite. It never came. All the weight on top of him was lifted. He sat up, eyes wide, to see Jason standing over Dearec. Jason nudged him with his foot before bending down, pulling out a pocketknife, and making a thin cut on the side of Dearec's neck. As the blood began to flow he pulled out the crystal vial.

"Is he dead?" Matt asked, getting up to examine him.

Jason shook his head. "Just knocked out." Matt noticed the bloody mark on the side of Dearec's head. "Pounced on him, threw him into that tree over there."

Matt looked at the tree. It was still quivering from the force of the impact, most of the bark gone, some remnants of blood on the smooth trunk.

"Ouch…." Matt muttered, turning back to Jason. "Should we burn him?"

"Nah. He's too easy. It'd be a waste of a match," Jason replied, putting a stopper in the now full vial. Matt grinned in agreement. "Let's get this back to Lily and Anna."


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Skai sat on her steps a few hours later, Matt beside her. They were both quiet. Matt was thinking. Skai was still digesting what had happened only a short while ago. Matt had told her about the brief moment of her bloodthirsty death, and how she had turned on Eric and killed him. How he and Jason had fought Dearec to revive her.

"Hey, Skai," Matt started, looking up at the sky. "What do you remember?"

Skai was quiet. He couldn't tell if she was thinking or if she didn't want to answer. He looked over at her, she was looking at her shoes.

"Skai?"

"Emotions," she said in a dreamy, far off voice. At Matt's quizzical look she continued. "I remember being furious, in the park, at you and Jason. Then confused, but I can't remember why. Then fury again, but a different kind of fury. A protective fury. Then….nothing."

As she spoke, Matt matched the event with the emotion in his mind. The pure anger as she became a newborn vampire. The confusion of choosing between two things you hold dear. And finally the protective anger when something you love is threatened.

"You don't remember what happened at all?" he pressed. She shook her head. He sighed. "Nothing?" She shook her head again. They sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Matt?" she asked quietly.

"Hmm?"

"How did you react after Eric…." She couldn't finish.

"I was devastated. If you were….then we couldn't be friends. It's against the rules," he said. She nodded solemnly.

"But Lily and her mum reversed it right?" she asked. Matt smiled. "Did it?"

He laughed. "Lily said it's impossible to reverse all of the effects. You'll be as fast as Jason and me now, just as strong too. You'll have an odd fondness for blood, but….you're alive." He grinned as if that were the best thing in the world. Skai seemed to agree.

When Matt and Jason had returned to Lily's they were barely in the door when she pounced on them, asking questions.

"Did you get it? Are you alright? Did you kill Dearec too?"

Jason laughed and handed her the vial. "He wasn't worth killing. How's Skai?" He passed Lily, heading for the kitchen, Matt following, more terrified than ever. What if it didn't work? What if it wasn't enough? What if they were too late?

Jason looked at him with a small smirk, as if Matt had been screaming his worry to the world. Matt hated that look right now. How could Jason be so calm when Skai's life was hanging by a single thread? Was he that confident that she'd be okay?

Lily handed her mother the crimson vial, who poured it into something that was bubbling away. She stirred it clockwise a few times before turning around.

"What's next?" Lily asked as a rusty scent filled the air.

"Tears," her mother replied. "Wolf tears." They all looked at Matt, who replied with a confused "What?"

Lily walked around the table. "Matty, Matty, Matty…everyone here knows that you're the biggest wimp," she said as if it were obvious.

Matt growled at her. "You wanna say that again you little spell flinging…."

"Children! Enough!" Anna's mother said, stopping the argument. Lily sighed.

"Just transform already."

"What?"

"Transform. At least give us a tail!" He didn't trust her, but one look at Skai who was white as a sheet told him what to do.

Slowly he closed his eyes and began the transformation. When he opened his eyes again he felt his tail wagging around his legs. He glared at them all. "Happy?" he snapped bitterly. Lily reached around and pulled on his tail. HARD. He yelped as a single tear of pain rolled down his cheek. Lily caught it in another vial and scurried over to add it to the mixture.

"Ecstatic," she said dryly.

"And finally, a lock of hair from the victim," Anna said, brushing through Skai's hair and snipping off a small lock. She dropped it into the mixture. It turned a lilac color and an unnamable scent started to waft through the air. Matt breathed it in and recognized it as Skai's scent.

Anna poured some of it into a cup and turned to Skai. Matt stopped her.

"Let me," he said gently, taking the cup. Anna didn't argue. Slowly he made his way over to Skai. He slipped his hand behind her head, propping her up. He brought the cup to her lips and tipped the liquid into her mouth. It went down her throat with no problem.

The room seemed to hold its breath as everyone waited for Skai's reaction to the potion. Matt's hand still was on her head. Her breathing stopped and Matt felt himself go numb, then her breathing restarted at a normal pace. The tone returned to her skin. Matt felt his breath catch in his throat and his heart pound in his chest as she coughed and looked up at him with her jewel green eyes.

"Skai!" He hugged her, tears of ecstasy rolling down his cheeks. She hugged him back uncertainly. He smiled as he felt his warmth flood into her. He kissed her cheek, hugging her tighter, then whispered softly into her ear.

Matt looked over at Skai. Her color had returned, her body warmth restored. He smiled and slipped his arm around her shoulder, kissing her cheek, and repeated what he had told her only a few hours before. "I love you."

She leaned into his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered. They both sat that way, contended, listening to each other's slow breathing as the sun began to rise.


End file.
